­­­Setting 16 Portland State Football records, tailback Charles Dunn had an awe-inspiring career as a Viking from 1997-2000. Dunn, who was an easy selection to the PSU Athletics Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility back in 2006, is now a member of the Big Sky Conference Hall of Fame as well.

Dunn, along with nine other former Big Sky Conference athletes and administrators, were announced as the Hall of Fame class for 2025 by the league today.

"Being recognized by the Big Sky conference is an overwhelmingly wonderful honor I am very thankful for," said Dunn. "It is incredibly meaningful to not only be acknowledged for my football career, but also to be recognized alongside such outstanding athletes and administrators as my fellow inductees." 

A native of Pasadena, CA, Dunn was recruited by former Head Coach Tim Walsh as a part of the first recruiting class when Portland State became a Division I Big Sky member in 1996. Dunn quickly made his presence felt.

The 5-8, 185-pound running back was named Big Sky Conference Newcomer of the Year, and second team All-Big Sky as a freshman in 1997. He followed with three consecutive years as a first team All-Big Sky Conference choice.

Dunn led the Big Sky in rushing as a senior in 2000 at 162.9 yards per game and was a four-time Big Sky Player of the Week. He was a two-time National Player of the Week selection and earned consensus first-team All-America honors from the Associated Press, the American Football Coaches Association and the Sports Network. Dunn finished fourth in the Walter Payton Award balloting for the National Player of the Year at the Division I FCS level. He participated in the Hula Bowl All-Star game following the season.

Dunn was also the offensive catalyst for PSU's first-ever Division I playoff team. The Vikings emerged as a Big Sky power in just four seasons behind Dunn and his talented teammates, including Jimmy Blanchard, Orshawante Bryant, Terry Charles and Rashad Floyd and Coach Walsh, who are also members of the PSU Athletics Hall of Fame. That Viking team was ranked in the top 10 all season and defeated four other nationally-ranked programs.

Also in 2000, Dunn rushed for a then-school record 324 yards in a game against nationally-ranked Hofstra, and 154 yards and two touchdowns in a 45-20 win over Hawai'i – the Vikings first-ever win over a Division I-A FBS program.

At the conclusion of his four years at PSU, Dunn was one of only six Division I-A or I-AA players in history to rush for more than 6,000 yards in a career. He holds PSU records for rushing yards in a season (1,792) and a career (6,007), as well as touchdowns in a season (21) and a career (54), 100-yard rushing games (30) and 200-yard rushing games (8). 

Dunn remains an Oregonian. He has been a prominent businessman in the Portland area since his graduation from Portland State.

"My time at Portland State opened up a world of opportunity for me," said Dunn. "As a Southern California native, attending Portland State at the age of 17 was the biggest exposure I had to other cultures and environments at that point in my life. Portland became the place where I learned how to grow up on my own and Portland State became my home.
 
"On the field I was very appreciative to not only be able to play at the college level but also as a running back, the position I was most passionate about. I got to do something I loved, in my home away from home with a team that quickly became my family. For these reasons and more, my time at PSU stands apart as one of the most significant periods in my life.
 
"While I am so appreciative of this recognition, I have always felt my teammates are far more deserving of acknowledgment than I, as they propelled me toward the success I had on the field. For every Hall of Fame I exist in, I also take my offensive linemen with me. I am honored to have played with these fine athletes and offer gratitude to all my teammates as I accept this honor."
 
The Big Sky Hall of Fame, which had its first induction class in 2022, continues to grow and now includes 46 members. Two are former Portland State athletes. In addition to Dunn, Geronne Black, a PSU Hall of Famer in track and field, earned induction to the Big Sky Hall of Fame in 2023.

Dunn will be honored this summer at the Big Sky Conference Football Kickoff event in Spokane. The Hall of Fame Awards Night will be held on Saturday, July 19 at the Northern Quest Resort & Casino. Tickets for the event can be purchased at this link.

Other honorees in the 2025 Big Sky Conference Hall of Fame Class
Cass Bauer-Bilodeau, Women's Basketball, Montana State
Tim Hauck, Football, Montana 
David McNeill, Men's Cross Country/Track and Field, Northern Arizona 
Ida Nilsson, Women's Cross Country/Track & Field, Northern Arizona
Johanna Nilsson, Women's Cross Country/Track & Field, Northern Arizona 
Doug Nussmeier, Football, Idaho 
Dan O'Brien, Men's Track and Field, Idaho 
Naseby Rhinehart, Athletic Trainer, Montana 
Arnie Sgalio, Administrator, Big Sky Conference/Montana State